


Chocolate Heals All Wounds

by BucksFizz



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: F/M, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-21
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-09-18 22:19:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9405482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BucksFizz/pseuds/BucksFizz
Summary: When news of Tom's defection reaches the Enterprise, it's up to Will to counsel the counsellor.





	

The stars stretched out in front of her, never-ending in their brightness. But the view, even if it was supposedly the best one on the ship, couldn't calm her frustration. She could remember when he had been aboard the _Enterprise_ , he had seemed so... she shook her head. What did she know? She'd gotten him all wrong.

Deanna felt him before she heard him.

"Penny for your thoughts."

She turned to smile at Will. "You can take them for free."

He stood beside her at the viewport. "You heard about Tom, then."

She sighed and returned her attention to the stars. "I don't really want to talk about him, Will."

A long silence fell between them.

Will looked around Ten Forward. It was quite, being so late, and only a few nocturnal stragglers were sitting at tables. Guinan was chatting to a lonely looking lieutenant, recently transferred to the _Enterprise_ from Earth. Will smiled as the lieutenant started to visibly relax and open up to the wise bartender.

Turning back to Deanna, he wrapped his arm arm her shoulders and gently steered her over to a table. She reluctantly let him pull her along and sat down as Riker went to order, slightly annoyed at the sympathy she could feel emanating from him.

He returned quickly with two chocolate sundaes, heaped high with marshmallows and sprinkles and grinned as he set them down.

"Eat up."

Deanna pulled a face. "I don't really feel like chocolate right now."

Will clutched at his heart then pretended to take her pulse. "You don't feel like chocolate? Are you feeling alright? Maybe I should call Doctor Crusher-"

She held up her hands to stop him and picked up her spoon in defeat. "Alright, I'm eating!"

Will grinned and tucked into his own sundae. "Happy to hear it. But if I ever hear those words come out of your mouth again, you are going straight to Sickbay."

His attempts to coax a smile out of her failed, and Deanna stared at the table-top as she half-heartedly dug into the chocolate ice cream. Will's own smile faded.

"He didn't hurt anyone. Be grateful for that at least," he said quietly.

"I don't understand why he did it," she whispered. "He had a life, he was back in Starfleet, he was becoming his own person! Why did he throw that away for the Maquis?"

Will shrugged and took another bite. "Maybe it wasn't his life at all. Maybe... it was my life, and he got tired of living it. You've got to admit, a rogue terrorist group is pretty much as far as you can get from first officer of the flagship."

"So he decided to live his own life... in a Cardassian prison camp."

"He obviously decided it was worth the risk, Deanna. People will sacrifice a lot to preserve their own individuality, even their freedom. Whatever he thought he was doing, I know he didn't want to disappoint you." He pushed the half empty bowl away from him in disgust. "I still can't understand how you can eat so much of that stuff."

"Coming from the man who willingly eats gagh!" she retorted, finally rewarding him with a small smile. "At least chocolate isn't _alive_..."

She finished up her sundae and touched Will's hand.

"Thank you," she said, looking into his eyes.

He smiled and squeezed her hand in return. "Any time, Counsellor."

"When did you get so good at giving advice anyway?" Deanna asked with a playful smile.

"I learned from the best," he replied. His communicator let out a beep, drawing them both back to the moment.

_"Commander Riker, report to the Bridge._

"On my way." He got to his feet. "I'll see you later?"

Deanna nodded. "See you later."


End file.
